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8 Mar 2008

And while Arthur Lok Jack, the CA chairman, yesterday confirmed that a Bombardier Global XRS jet was currently “in production”, Imbert said the Cabinet’s agreement to finance the purchase of the jet was not yet a done deal as it now depends on the insertion of what he termed “an anti-corruption clause” within a contract between the parties involved in the arrangement.

“Up to (yesterday) morning —as far as I know– the aircraft had not been paid for. The money has not been sent to the company (Bombardier) that owns the aircraft,” he said.

“Cabinet at its meeting of last week...did agree to support CA to establish an executive jet service. But that does not mean that the transaction has been consummated because there are some issues that need to be resolved.”

Those details for readers not following up on this story, is related to ironing the way for a rapid rail contract.

For the sake of a mere $400 millions or so (also some $24 millions annually), Bombardier has a shoe-in for a rapid rail contract estimated by Tattoo himself as around $15 billions. One would think for that price, Bombardier would GIVE Pa-trick a jet, but nope - we still paying for it. Dearly.

He said CA proposed a shortlist of several jets including: the Bombardier Global XRS, the Gulf Stream 550, the Airbus ACJ, and a Boeing Business Jet. Bombardier was chosen, he said, because of the availability of a jet which had been intended for an unnamed American company.

Really? Not because Bombardier is bidding on the rapid rail project?

Imbert explained that the type of private jet CA might buy would normally have to be ordered four or five years in advance.

Normally 4 to 5 years. How long ago did Pa-trick have that test flight on the Bombardier jet? Oh wait, time off production for giving a $15B contract (soon to come).

In September 2006, Manning had led a team of Government officials, which included then education minister Hazel Manning and Works Minister Colm Imbert, on a test flight aboard a Bombardier Global Express XRS jet.

Cripes! Would you look at that? Gasp! It's the same model the joyride was on! And Tattoo was there; boy, he have a right to defend this deal. He could be flying solo when Pa-trick busy.

If you like me, and feel a lil tense, you can vent your frustration by beating the crap outa Pa-trick here